Harmonica.



R. L. LANIER, s

HARMDNICA. v APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1908.

925,778. Patented June 22,1909.

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R. L. LANIER, SB.

HARMONICA. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1908.

Patented June 22, 1909.

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attorneys THE "cams PETEP: c0, WASHINGTON, n. c.

it. aims ROBERT LEE LANIER, Sit, OF MONTICELLO, KENTUCKY.

No. eaaws.

Specification of Letters Patent.

HARMONICA.

Patented June .22, -9.

Application filed March 14, 1908. Serial No. realm.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Bonner Lnn LANIER, 512, a citizen of the United States. residing at Monticello, in the county of Tl ayne, State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful IHIPI'OVGlllOlltS in Harmonicas; and i do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to musical instru ments and more especially to an improved form of harmonica.

One object of the invention is to arrange an harmonica so that the number of air ducts may be increased without rendering the instrument clumsy to handle.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the harmonica en'ibodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the top face plate removed, l: is a. bottom plan view of the harn'ionica, and, Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view therethrough.

is shown in the drawings, the harmonica embodying my invention comprises, in part, an annular reed carrying member consistin of an annular element 10 formed in each of its faces with one or more series of channels l1, and reed plates 12 which are secured to the faces of the element 10 and are formed each with one or more series of openings 13 which register with the channels 11 of the element 10. The channels 11 open through the outer periphery of the said element and form, in connection with the openings 13, the air ducts of the instrument, there being reeds 1d secured upon the reed plates 12 and normally closing the openings 13 as is usual in harmonicas, the reeds being arranger upon corresponding faces of the reed plates so that certain of the reeds may be sounded by forcing a current of air into the corresponding channels 11 and the other reeds upon the other reed plate by inducing, by suction, a current of air through the other channels 11.

Secured removably, preferably by means of screws 15, to the under side of the under in or let out through the opening 18, and t will further be understood that by governing the size of this opening the tone of a note being sounded may be modulated if so desired, the result being accomplished by placing one finger over the opening and it will further be apparent that by rapidly raising and lowering the finger to rapidly cover and uncover the opening, a tremolo may be produced.

Two or more scales or series of ducts may formed throughout the circumference of the harmonica, *ach series representing a scale in a different key, thus for example the series extending from a to a in Fig. 3 may represent a scale in the key of those extending from 7) to o in this figure a scale in the key of G and those from c to (2 a scale in the key of F, it being understood of course that these keys are arbitrarily named and that any other combination of keys may be provided, also that any number of different keys may be provided within the limit of the circumference of the instru ment.

is usually the case, my instrument is intended to be placed upon the market with the scales of the several keys increasing in pitch from left to right but as it is desired by some musicians to have the increase in pitch extent from right to left, both face plates 16 and 1'? are, as heretofore stated, removably secured in place and as a consequence, they may be interchanged so as to invert the annular member of the instrument, the face plate 17 being at all times the upper plate.

What is claimed, is

1. A harmonica comprising an annular reed supporting member having air ducts extending radially from the periphery of the member to the reeds, and a wind-chest inclosing the reeds.

2. A, harmonica comprisii'ig an annular member having air ducts extending radially pair being reversely arranged, and a Wind 10 chest inclosing the reeds.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT LEE LANIER, SR.

Witnesses J. M. :KENNEDY,

J. W. TATE. 

